The Milwaukee Bucks plan to be buyers at the trade deadline to upgrade their roster and convince superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo to stay. The Portland Trail Blazers are in a prime position to capitalize on that desperation for a number of reasons, one of which pertains to Jerami Grant.
NBA insider Jake Fischer reports that Milwaukee wants to go "big-name hunting" (subscription required) at the deadline, but the reality is that they don't have the assets to pull it off. Talented but overpaid players like Grant, Zach LaVine, and others are their only realistic pathway to getting Giannis more help. That means Portland could potentially dump its negative asset by February.
NBA Salary Cap Analyst Yossi Gozlan recently pitched a trade that sends Grant to Milwaukee on the Third Apron Podcast. Here is the deal in its entirety:
*The Bucks would have to include another minimum salary to make the deal work financially.
Why the Trail Blazers do this trade
While Kuzma is a notable downgrade in terms of on-court production, the primary motivation behind Portland agreeing to this deal is financial. Kuzma has one less year remaining on his contract compared to Grant, who has a massive $36.4 million player option after next season. Kuzma is also owed roughly $12 million less annually than Grant over the next two seasons.
The Blazers need to make securing Deni Avdija long-term a priority, and this move would help clear space for them to renegotiate and extend his contract, which he's currently outplaying.
Grant has been playing much better for Portland as of late, but this wouldn't drastically alter anything in the short term. Kuzma would likely slide into the same sixth-man role, providing scoring and shot creation. While it would hinder the Blazers' play-in chances, Portland has prioritized a more long-term, patient approach to its rebuild, and this move helps improve that outlook.
Why the Bucks do this trade
The Bucks dug themselves a hole when they waived Damian Lillard to sign Myles Turner over the summer. But with that controversial move, they have proven they are willing to upgrade their roster at the expense of their finances. This Grant-Kuzma swap achieves just that without having to pay a significant price in terms of assets.
Last season, this trade would've been a different story. But with the Bucks' increased sense of urgency and Grant's resurgent season, this appears to be a win-win deal.
Grant isn't the needle-mover the Bucks still need to become true contenders with Giannis, but their options are limited at this point. If he's enough to increase the odds of Giannis ultimately staying in Milwaukee for the foreseeable future, that could be worth taking on another year of salary. At this point, they have to be open to just about anything.
What could prevent this trade from happening
The Bucks are looking to make an immediate upgrade with limited assets, while the Blazers are strategically continuing to play the long game. From that standpoint, giving up the more talented player to shed salary makes perfect sense for both sides. Locking down Avdija long-term should be a top priority in Portland, and moving on from Grant is even more critical after taking on Jrue Holiday's contract this summer.
That said, the one thing potentially getting in the way of this deal is general manager Joe Cronin. You know, the one who actually has to sign off on it. Fischer also reported that Grant is a favorite of Cronin's and that it is unclear if the Bucks could actually land Grant even if they wanted to.
Portland is currently navigating a challenging phase of its rebuild where they look to straddle two timelines, improving its future outlook while attempting to end a four-year playoff drought. But eventually something has to give. If they truly prioritize their long-term outlook, as they have said, Grant is the obvious piece to move to help achieve that.
Time will tell whether that's the case. But assuming Portland is open to moving Grant, this deal makes perfect sense for both parties, given their differing timelines and circumstances.